‘The Transfusion of Blood – A Proposed Dangerous Experiment’, 1888

Description

Mounted coloured lithograph, entitled, ‘THE TRANSFUSION OF BLOOD – A PROPOSED DANGEROUS EXPERIMENT.’, designed by M.D. Hamilton, lithographed by anon and published in ‘Judge.’ magazine, around 1888.

This caricature refers to the “Mills Tariff Bill of 1888”, proposed by Roger Quarles Mills, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The proposed blood transfusion is from a robust “AMERICAN WORKINGMAN”, to a sickly patient, representing “ENGLISH INDUSTRIES”.

The sickly patient, dressed in a gown labelled “ENGLISH INDUSTRIES”, has a blood transfusion line, labelled “MILLS BILL”, going into his arm. A weeping John Bull stands by the patient’s side. The patient is being attended to by three doctors. One of the doctor’s, labelled “DOCTOR MILLS” (a portrait of Roger Quarles Mills), is about to attach the other end of the transfusion line to a robust “AMERICAN WORKINGMAN”, who may be offering to give blood.

Lettered below the scene: ‘THE DOCTORS (to American Workingman) – “It may save the patient, but